Mr Hire's Engagement Read Free

was hot, but their feet were frozen.
    'Suppose we made an excuse and went up?'
    They were ill at ease.
    'It might be better to fetch him down. Look, you go and tell him someone wants to speak to him.'
    'Me? Never! No, never! . . .'
    She was trembling, crying half-heartedly, with short sobs.
    'I haven't even a husband to take care of me. At night everything's dead here, except the cars that rush by at about sixty miles an hour.
    She pulled her daughter to her feet with a single movement.
    'Sit up on a chair.'
    'Are you sure he didn't have that cut this morning?'
    'I don't know. I don't think he had. I could swear he hadn't. I've been thinking about it all day, till my head aches . . .'
    'Shall we go up, old chap?'
    There was no need. Someone was coming down the stairs. The concierge listened for a second, rushed to the door and opened it.
    'Mr. Hire!'
    She was shivering, standing behind the open door, looking at the two men as though to say:
    'It's your turn now.'
    'Excuse me . . .'
    Mr. Hire hesitated apologetically in the doorway, took two steps forward, surprised, embarrassed.
    'What can I . . .?'
    He could not see the concierge, hidden behind the door. The inspectors nudged each other. The little girl, who was staring at him, suddenly burst into tears.
    'Did somebody call me?'
    'Just in case. My cousin told me you had hurt yourself. . .' This was the first inspector, throwing himself blindly into the breach. He was pale, and swallowed hard between his words. 'I work in a hospital, and . . .'
    And to cut matters short, he reached out roughly, clumsily, seized the corner of the sticking-plaster and ripped it off. They were all crowded together in the cramped lodge. The little girl yelled more loudly than ever.
    As for Mr. Hire, he clapped his hand to his cheek and brought it away covered with blood. Drops had already fallen on his collar, on the shoulder of his jacket. The blood spurted, red and fresh, pushing the edges of the cut further and further apart as it flowed. 'Whatever . . .'
    The concierge was clenching her hands as though the fingers would snap. The inspector was horrified at the sight of the sharp, fresh razor- gash.
    'Oh, excuse me . . . I . . .'
    He looked round for the tap, for a handkerchief, anything that would stop the bleeding and get the thing over. Mr. Hire's eyes were round, with dark pupils. He gazed from one to the other of the occupants of the lodge, and he too was at a loss how to staunch all this blood, big drops of which had by this time fallen on the concrete floor.
    The little boy was still in his seat, in front of his exercise-book, his pen in mid-air. His sister was rolling on the ground.
    'It was ... it was clumsy of me ... if you will allow me to arrange it for you ...'
    Mr. Hire looked unlike himself, with blood covering his cheek and still trickling over his chin as though his lip had been split. And he was upset. The round, rosy spots had faded from his cheeks. 'Thank you . .'
    He actually seemed to be apologizing, like someone who has unintentionally spilt something in a house to which he has been invited. He bumped into the doorpost. 'You stay here ... I'll go and . .
    The inspector had found a dishcloth and held it out to him. 'Thank you . . . thank you . . . I'm sorry .. .'  He was already out in the cold, dark passage, and they heard him mount the stairs with a heavy, hesitant tread; they seemed to see the drops of blood falling on the steps.
    'Oh, stop that!' the concierge suddenly yelled, slapping her daughter. Her hair was coming down, her expression vacant. She shook the little boy.
    'And you, sitting there without a word!'
    The inspectors did not know where to look.
    'Please don't worry. To-morrow morning the superintendent. ..'
    'Do you really think I'm going to spend the night all alone here? Do you really think that?'
    She was clearly on the verge of hysteria. It was only a question of seconds. She started, as she accidentally put her hand on a drop of blood which had